Balochistan: Firing on Baloch Workers by a Death Squad in Jiwani Is State Terrorism: BYC

SHAAL (QUETTA): The Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC) has condemned the shooting of workers involved in the oil trade in Jiwani on October 15, accusing a state-backed death squad of targeting labourers and calling for international action over human rights violations in Balochistan.

In a statement, the BYC described the incident as an act of state terrorism and said that armed groups operating with state support were increasingly threatening the livelihoods and security of Baloch residents.

The committee said cross-border trade had long served as a primary source of income for many people in Balochistan but had been forcibly restricted. It added that restrictions on traditional border commerce had pushed workers towards maritime trade and that the shooting in Jiwani represented a further threat to their ability to earn a living.

According to the BYC, death squads operating in different parts of Balochistan, from Gwadar to Koh-e-Sulaiman, have contributed to an atmosphere of fear, violence and insecurity. The committee said that such groups were being used to suppress the local population and undermine its political and economic activities.

The organisation said that workers who had turned to the sea for their livelihoods after restrictions on border trade were now facing further risks. It argued that targeting these workers deprived families of essential income and intensified the economic pressures on already vulnerable communities.

The BYC characterised the targeting of Baloch workers as part of a broader campaign of economic repression, describing it as “economic genocide.”

The committee strongly condemned the shooting and urged international organisations and human rights institutions to take practical measures rather than limiting their response to public statements. It called for action to address what it described as state repression, economic exploitation and serious human rights violations in Balochistan.